Second conviction for Eston farm murder

Pietermaritzburg - A second man was convicted of killing Eston sugar cane farmer Micky Hampson in the High Court in Pietermartitzburg on Thursday.

Jabulani Ngobese, 28, was found guilty of the murder of Micky Hampson, 68, and the attempted murder of his son Murray Hampson, 34.

Ngobese had pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and aggravated robbery while his companion, Siboniso Mtolo, 25, who admitted the crimes, was jailed for life by Judge Isaac Madondo in the same court on March 14.

Judge Louis Barnard convicted Ngobese and said he and Mtolo admitted that they trespassed on the farm in order to steal a vehicle.

The incident occurred during the day in September 2013.

Farm workers and the Hampsons saw them walking on their farm.

Both had knives which, Barnard said, showed that they were prepared to use them had they encountered opposition.

The Hampsons asked what they were doing on the farm and made them get on to their bakkie because there had been a burglary on a neighbour's farm.

They intended to hand them to the police to make investigations.

Murray Hampson, armed with a shotgun, sat in the bin of the bakkie with the intruders. After a fracas the gun was taken from Murray and Mtolo pointed it at Murray who was on the ground.

Murray said he saw Mtolo's finger squeezing the trigger but was saved because the safety catch was on.

Murray said during the struggle Ngobese tried to stab him but the knife blade passed between his side and his arm.

Mtolo pursued Micky Hampson who was driving away and shot him at point-blank range. He died sitting at the steering wheel.

Murray ran into the sugar cane field as he thought that Mtolo would also shoot him.

Ngobese's lawyer Maken Raycumar told the court that Ngobese played a lesser role in the crime than Mtolo did.

Raycumar asked Barnard to find substantial and compelling circumstances for a more lenient sentence for Ngobese.